List of counties in Montana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Counties of Montana |
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|---|---|
| Location | State of Montana |
| Number | 56 |
| Populations | 554 (Petroleum) – 170,843 (Yellowstone) |
| Areas | 718 square miles (1,860 km2) (Silver Bow) – 5,543 square miles (14,360 km2) (Beaverhead) |
| Government | County government |
| Subdivisions | cities, towns, townships, unincorporated communities, Indian reservations, census designated place |
Montana is a state in the United States with 56 special areas called counties. Think of a county as a smaller part of a state, like a district, that helps organize local government and services.
In Montana, two cities, Anaconda and Butte, are joined with their counties. This means the city and county governments work together as one. Also, a part of Yellowstone National Park is in Montana. For a long time, this part wasn't officially in any county. But in 1978, it was split between Gallatin County and Park County.
Montana's short form, used for things like mail, is MT.
Contents
Montana's Counties
Each county in Montana has a special code called a FIPS code. This code helps the United States government identify each county. You can use these codes to find information about each county, like its population.
Below is a list of all 56 counties in Montana. You'll find out when each county was created and why it got its name.
| County |
FIPS code | County seat | Est. | Origin | Naming History | License plate prefix |
Population | Area | Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beaverhead County | 001 | Dillon | February 2, 1865 | Original County | Named after Beaverhead Rock in the Jefferson River. This rock looks like a beaver's head. | 18 | 9,885 | 5,543 sq mi (14,356 km2) |
 |
| Big Horn County | 003 | Hardin | January 13, 1913 | Rosebud County, Yellowstone County | Named for the Bighorn sheep that live in the area. | 22 | 12,751 | 4,995 sq mi (12,937 km2) |
 |
| Blaine County | 005 | Chinook | February 29, 1912 | Chouteau County | Named after James G. Blaine (1830–1893), who was a United States Secretary of State and ran for president. | 24 | 6,899 | 4,226 sq mi (10,945 km2) |
 |
| Broadwater County | 007 | Townsend | February 9, 1897 | Jefferson County, Meagher County | Named after Charles A. Broadwater (1840–1892), an early settler and a colonel in the United States Army. | 43 | 8,032 | 1,192 sq mi (3,087 km2) |
 |
| Carbon County | 009 | Red Lodge | March 4, 1895 | Park County, Yellowstone County | Named for the large amounts of Coal found in the area. | 10 | 11,419 | 2,048 sq mi (5,304 km2) |
 |
| Carter County | 011 | Ekalaka | February 22, 1917 | Fallon County | Named after Thomas Henry Carter (1854–1911), who was a U.S. Senator from Montana. | 42 | 1,418 | 3,340 sq mi (8,651 km2) |
 |
| Cascade County | 013 | Great Falls | September 12, 1887 | Chouteau County, Meagher County | Named for the Great Falls of the Missouri River. | 2 | 84,900 | 2,698 sq mi (6,988 km2) |
 |
| Chouteau County | 015 | Fort Benton | February 2, 1865 | Original County | Named after Jean Pierre Chouteau (1758–1849) and his son Pierre Chouteau, Jr. (1789–1865), who were part of a famous fur-trading family. | 19 | 5,847 | 3,973 sq mi (10,290 km2) |
 |
| Custer County | 017 | Miles City | February 2, 1865 | Original County | First called Big Horn County, it was renamed on February 16, 1877, for George Armstrong Custer. | 14 | 11,985 | 3,783 sq mi (9,798 km2) |
 |
| Daniels County | 019 | Scobey | August 30, 1920 | Sheridan County, Valley County | Named after Mansfield A. Daniels (1858 - 1919), an early rancher and store owner. | 37 | 1,633 | 1,426 sq mi (3,693 km2) |
 |
| Dawson County | 021 | Glendive | January 15, 1869 | Unorganized lands | Named after Andrew Dawson, a fur trapping official and a major in the United States Army. | 16 | 8,810 | 2,373 sq mi (6,146 km2) |
 |
| Deer Lodge County | 023 | Anaconda | February 2, 1865 | Original County | Named after the Deer Lodge Valley. This name might come from a Native American name meaning "Lodge of the White-tailed Deer" or from a salt lick where many deer gathered. | 30 | 9,673 | 737 sq mi (1,909 km2) |
 |
| Fallon County | 025 | Baker | December 9, 1913 | Custer County | Named after Benjamin O'Fallon, a government agent for Native American affairs. | 39 | 2,994 | 1,620 sq mi (4,196 km2) |
 |
| Fergus County | 027 | Lewistown | March 12, 1885 | Chouteau County, Meagher County | Named after Andrew Fergus (1850 - 1928), one of the first people to settle in the county. | 8 | 11,772 | 4,339 sq mi (11,238 km2) |
 |
| Flathead County | 029 | Kalispell | February 6, 1893 | Missoula County | Named after the Flathead Native Americans. | 7 | 113,679 | 5,099 sq mi (13,206 km2) |
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| Gallatin County | 031 | Bozeman | February 2, 1865 | Original County | Named after Albert Gallatin (1761–1849), who was the United States Secretary of the Treasury during the Lewis and Clark Expedition. | 6 | 126,409 | 2,507 sq mi (6,493 km2) |
 |
| Garfield County | 033 | Jordan | February 7, 1919 | Dawson County | Named after James A. Garfield (1831–1881), who was the twentieth President of the United States. | 50 | 1,211 | 4,668 sq mi (12,090 km2) |
 |
| Glacier County | 035 | Cut Bank | February 17, 1919 | Teton County | Named after Glacier National Park, which is next to the county. | 38 | 13,609 | 2,995 sq mi (7,757 km2) |
 |
| Golden Valley County | 037 | Ryegate | October 4, 1920 | Musselshell County, Sweet Grass County | Likely named to encourage people to move to the area, suggesting it was a good place to live. | 53 | 835 | 1,175 sq mi (3,043 km2) |
 |
| Granite County | 039 | Philipsburg | March 2, 1893 | Deer Lodge County, Missoula County | Named for the granite rock common in the mountains there, which also held rich gold and silver ore. The old mining town of Granite also shared this name. | 46 | 3,595 | 1,728 sq mi (4,475 km2) |
 |
| Hill County | 041 | Havre | February 22, 1912 | Chouteau County | Named after James J. Hill (1838–1916), a very important railroad owner. | 12 | 16,276 | 2,896 sq mi (7,501 km2) |
 |
| Jefferson County | 043 | Boulder | February 2, 1865 | Original County | Named after Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), who was the third President of the United States. | 51 | 13,048 | 1,657 sq mi (4,292 km2) |
 |
| Judith Basin County | 045 | Stanford | December 10, 1920 | Cascade County, Fergus County | Named after the Judith River. The river was named by William Clark for Julia "Judith" Hancock, whom he later married. | 36 | 2,093 | 1,870 sq mi (4,843 km2) |
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| Lake County | 047 | Polson | May 11, 1923 | Flathead County, Missoula County | Named after Flathead Lake, a large lake in the area. | 15 | 33,338 | 1,494 sq mi (3,869 km2) |
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| Lewis and Clark County | 049 | Helena | February 2, 1865 | Original County | First called Edgerton County, it was renamed on March 1, 1868, for Meriwether Lewis and William Clark of the famous expedition. | 5 | 75,011 | 3,461 sq mi (8,964 km2) |
 |
| Liberty County | 051 | Chester | February 11, 1920 | Chouteau County, Hill County | Named to reflect the feeling of freedom and independence felt by people when the county was formed, soon after World War I. | 48 | 1,974 | 1,430 sq mi (3,704 km2) |
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| Lincoln County | 053 | Libby | March 9, 1909 | Flathead County | Named after Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865), who was the 16th President of the United States. | 56 | 21,895 | 3,613 sq mi (9,358 km2) |
 |
| Madison County | 057 | Virginia City | February 2, 1865 | Original County | Named after James Madison (1751–1836), who was the fourth President of the United States and Secretary of State during the Lewis and Clark Expedition. | 25 | 9,521 | 3,587 sq mi (9,290 km2) |
 |
| McCone County | 055 | Circle | February 20, 1919 | Dawson County, Richland County | Named after George McCone (1853 - 1929), a Montana state senator who helped create the county. | 41 | 1,676 | 2,643 sq mi (6,845 km2) |
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| Meagher County | 059 | White Sulphur Springs | November 16, 1867 | Chouteau County, Gallatin County | Named after Thomas Francis Meagher (1823–1867), who was an acting Governor of the Montana Territory. | 47 | 2,071 | 2,392 sq mi (6,195 km2) |
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| Mineral County | 061 | Superior | August 7, 1914 | Missoula County | Named for the many mines and valuable minerals found within the county. | 54 | 5,090 | 1,220 sq mi (3,160 km2) |
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| Missoula County | 063 | Missoula | February 2, 1865 | Original County | The name is thought to come from a Flathead Native American word, "im-i-sul-e-etiku," meaning "by or near the place of fear or ambush." This refers to Hell Gate Canyon, where Flathead Native Americans were sometimes attacked by Blackfeet tribes. | 4 | 121,849 | 2,598 sq mi (6,729 km2) |
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| Musselshell County | 065 | Roundup | February 11, 1911 | Fergus County, Meagher County, Yellowstone County | Named after the Musselshell River. The Lewis and Clark Expedition likely named it because of the mussels they found on its banks. | 23 | 5,308 | 1,867 sq mi (4,836 km2) |
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| Park County | 067 | Livingston | February 23, 1887 | Gallatin County | Named after the nearby Yellowstone National Park. | 49 | 17,903 | 2,656 sq mi (6,879 km2) |
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| Petroleum County | 069 | Winnett | November 24, 1924 | Fergus County | Named for the petroleum (oil) found and produced at Cat Creek. | 55 | 554 | 1,654 sq mi (4,284 km2) |
 |
| Phillips County | 071 | Malta | February 5, 1915 | Blaine County, Valley County | Named after Benjamin D. Phillips (1857 - 1926), a leading rancher and early pioneer in the county. | 11 | 4,249 | 5,140 sq mi (13,313 km2) |
 |
| Pondera County | 073 | Conrad | February 17, 1919 | Chouteau County, Teton County | The name comes from the French words pend d'oreille, meaning "ear pendant." The spelling was changed to avoid confusion with a lake and town in Idaho and a county in Washington. | 26 | 6,125 | 1,625 sq mi (4,209 km2) |
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| Powder River County | 075 | Broadus | March 7, 1919 | Custer County | Named after the Powder River. It got its name because the sand on its banks looked like gunpowder. | 9 | 1,743 | 3,297 sq mi (8,539 km2) |
 |
| Powell County | 077 | Deer Lodge | January 31, 1901 | Deer Lodge County | Named after Mount Powell, which was named for John Wesley Powell (1834–1902), a famous environmentalist and explorer. | 28 | 7,133 | 2,326 sq mi (6,024 km2) |
 |
| Prairie County | 079 | Terry | February 5, 1915 | Dawson County, Fallon County | Named because much of the county is located on the Great Plains, which are large, flat grasslands. | 45 | 1,112 | 1,737 sq mi (4,499 km2) |
 |
| Ravalli County | 081 | Hamilton | February 16, 1893 | Missoula County | Named after Anthony Ravalli (1812–1884), a Jesuit missionary who arrived in the area in 1845. | 13 | 47,738 | 2,394 sq mi (6,200 km2) |
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| Richland County | 083 | Sidney | May 27, 1914 | Dawson County | Named to suggest its fertile soil, hoping to attract new settlers to the area. | 27 | 11,173 | 2,084 sq mi (5,398 km2) |
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| Roosevelt County | 085 | Wolf Point | February 18, 1919 | Sheridan County | Named after Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919), who was the 26th President of the United States. | 17 | 10,319 | 2,356 sq mi (6,102 km2) |
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| Rosebud County | 087 | Forsyth | February 11, 1901 | Custer County | Named after the Rosebud River. It was named for the many wild roses growing along its banks. | 29 | 8,160 | 5,012 sq mi (12,981 km2) |
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| Sanders County | 089 | Thompson Falls | February 7, 1905 | Missoula County | Named after Wilbur Fiske Sanders (1834–1905), an early settler, a vigilante, and a U.S. Senator from Montana. | 35 | 13,684 | 2,762 sq mi (7,154 km2) |
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| Sheridan County | 091 | Plentywood | March 24, 1913 | Valley County | Named after Philip Sheridan (1831–1888), a general in the Civil War. | 34 | 3,498 | 1,677 sq mi (4,343 km2) |
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| Silver Bow County | 093 | Butte | February 16, 1881 | Deer Lodge County | Named after Silver Bow Creek. There are different ideas about how the creek got its name. | 1 | 36,360 | 718 sq mi (1,860 km2) |
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| Stillwater County | 095 | Columbus | March 24, 1913 | Carbon County, Sweet Grass County, Yellowstone County | Named after the Stillwater River. Interestingly, the river is known for its very fast current, which is the opposite of "stillwater." | 32 | 9,173 | 1,795 sq mi (4,649 km2) |
 |
| Sweet Grass County | 097 | Big Timber | March 5, 1895 | Meagher County, Park County, Yellowstone County | Named for the large amount of sweet grass that grows in the county. | 40 | 3,763 | 1,855 sq mi (4,804 km2) |
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| Teton County | 099 | Choteau | February 7, 1893 | Chouteau County | Named after the Teton Range of mountains. | 31 | 6,430 | 2,273 sq mi (5,887 km2) |
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| Toole County | 101 | Shelby | May 7, 1914 | Hill County, Teton County | Named after Joseph Toole (1851–1929), who was the first and fourth Governor of Montana. | 21 | 5,133 | 1,911 sq mi (4,949 km2) |
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| Treasure County | 103 | Hysham | February 7, 1919 | Rosebud County | Named to attract new settlers, suggesting the county was a valuable place to live. | 33 | 772 | 979 sq mi (2,536 km2) |
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| Valley County | 105 | Glasgow | February 6, 1893 | Dawson County | Named because a large part of the county is located in the valley of the Milk River. | 20 | 7,474 | 4,921 sq mi (12,745 km2) |
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| Wheatland County | 107 | Harlowton | February 22, 1917 | Meagher County, Sweet Grass County | Named for the many wheat fields found in the county. | 44 | 2,057 | 1,423 sq mi (3,686 km2) |
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| Wibaux County | 109 | Wibaux | August 17, 1914 | Dawson County, Fallon County, Richland County | Named after Pierre Wibaux (1858–1913), an early settler and cattle rancher. | 52 | 910 | 889 sq mi (2,302 km2) |
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| Yellowstone County | 111 | Billings | February 26, 1883 | Custer County | Named after the Yellowstone River. The river got its name from the yellow rocks found along its shores. | 3 | 170,843 | 2,635 sq mi (6,825 km2) |
 |
Counties That No Longer Exist
Over time, some county names have changed or counties have been combined. Here are some of the older counties in Montana's history:
- St. Charles County, Missouri Territory was created on October 1, 1812, but its boundaries changed in 1813.
- Vancouver County, Oregon Territory was created on August 13, 1848, and then renamed Clarke County, Oregon Territory on September 3, 1849.
- Clarke County, Washington Territory was created on March 2, 1853.
- Walla Walla County, Washington Territory was created on April 25, 1854.
- Spokane County, Washington Territory was created on January 29, 1858, but was later removed on January 19, 1864.
- Missoula County, Washington Territory was created on December 14, 1860, and removed on May 26, 1864.
- Shoshone County, Washington Territory was created on January 9, 1861, and removed on March 3, 1863.
- Stevens County, Washington Territory was created on January 20, 1863.
- Shoshone County, Idaho Territory was created on February 4, 1864.
Counties That Changed Names
- Edgerton County, Montana Territory was created on February 2, 1865. It was renamed Lewis and Clark County, Montana Territory on March 1, 1868.
- Big Horn County, Montana Territory was created on February 2, 1865. It was renamed Custer County, Montana Territory on February 16, 1877.
Special Areas Like Counties
- A part of Yellowstone National Park in Montana was created on March 1, 1872. In 1978, this area was divided and added to Park County, Montana and Gallatin County, Montana.
See also
In Spanish: Anexo:Condados de Montana para niños
- History of Montana
- Bibliography of Montana history
- Territorial evolution of Montana
- Timeline of Montana history
- List of cities and towns in Montana
- List of ghost towns in Montana
- List of places in Montana
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List of counties in Montana Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.